Changed

by Jean Booth

  His breath stuttered, and he grabbed onto me for support, not exactly upset about being scented. I tried to ignore his body’s response against my thigh as he clutched me tighter to him, suppressing a groan and softly apologizing for his reaction. He started to break out in a light sweat.

  I leaned in again, inhaling more of him, memorizing the exact hint of his flavor. It was coated with nerves, stress, and desire, but I could still taste the base scent underneath. He smelled sweet and dusty, like sagebrush in the fall. My lips curled against his skin in a smile. I’d gotten it.

  There was the creak of a floorboard, and both John and I looked up. Stephan was standing in the doorway.

  I leapt away from John as if I’d been electrocuted. We weren’t doing anything inappropriate, but I felt as if I’d just been caught having sex in church. I wanted to grovel at Stephan’s feet, beg for forgiveness. I stayed put. I knew I didn’t have anything to beg for.

  Anger radiated off Stephan in waves. His eyes swirled, hands held immobile in tight fists by his side. Storm clouds rumbled outside as a breeze whipped across the threshold. He shook with the effort it took to simply stand still. Never once did he take his enraged eyes off me.

  John leaned against the wall, trying to steady his shaking legs so he could walk out. He looked pale, terrified of what Stephan might do to him. His terror spiked my protective instinct and I bristled.

  “I was just scenting him.” My voice was quiet but strong.

  “I know. John, you have to leave. It seems as if I’m not myself today. You may help Marcy for the remainder of the week, if you would like.” John nodded, keeping his eyes downcast even though Stephan had yet to look in his direction. Slowly, with deliberate steps, he walked past Stephan and out the door. Only after he drove off did Stephan start to relax.

  “Tasha, forgive me. I don’t know what’s come over me. It seems as if I’m not myself when it comes to you. Did you get things settled today?” The clouds started to clear. His hands unclenched, and his eyes slowly returned to their normal molten silver.

  “Yes, but I almost ate James.” He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I explained what happened. By the time I came to the end, where I was scenting John, our anger had returned. My anger was directed toward James for triggering my beast, with myself for how much I had to learn, and a little with Stephan for the gaps that still remained in my knowledge. I wasn’t sure what he was so angry about. I needed to run or have violent sex to reaffirm all was well in my world. My irritation increased with my lack of options.

  “Do you want to go running with me?”

  He nodded. Following me into the backyard, he waited for me to change, and we were off. I ran as fast as my leopard’s body could, Stephan close to my heels, letting me set the pace. The tension of the day released as my muscles heated with exertion. We ran for miles, entering territory I loved, and continued to run. I ran until I was on fire, thoughts and emotions being too complex to handle. Slowly, I came to a stop. I was panting, my chest heaving from the run. Stephan glanced over at me, tongue hanging out of his mouth in exhaustion. He head-butted me, rubbing his face against mine in affection, scent marking me as he did so.

  Together, we walked leisurely to Lake Okeechobee to get a drink of water. It was on the northern edge of the property line and one of my favorite spots. I was hungry as well, but too tired to do anything about it. I’d hunt after we had a chance to cool off and relax. In the meantime, I simply enjoyed the exhaustion and the freedom I had in this body. I savored this feeling, knowing I could escape from reality and become something different, something that didn’t worry about the infinitesimal things humans worried about. The only things I cared about in animal form were in regard to my survival.

  It didn’t take long for us to reach the water’s edge and drink. I could feel the heat radiating off my pelt, and the cool water was a balm to my empty stomach. Contented at last, I started to purr. Stephan took that as a sign that I was ready to play. He barreled into my side, dumping me unceremoniously into the cool waters. I splashed around, limbs everywhere in a desperate attempt to find land. He swam up, concerned for my safety.

  I couldn’t believe he’d bought that ruse. I dunked him, snorting with laughter at his expression. We played in the water, swimming, dunking each other, and just goofing off until the growls of our stomachs could no longer be ignored.

  I hunted on our way back to the house, eating more than usual, as I knew he’d be opening my vein and consuming more blood than he normally did. We’d had a very long day, and I knew he was hungry. He was his usual patient self, waiting as I buried the remains of my food, never complaining or pushing me to do more than I was able to.

  We arrived at the house. I filled his thermos, along with two other glasses I found in the house, with my blood. I went into the library and made it to the bay window before collapsing from utter exhaustion. I was out within minutes.

  I WOKE to sunlight streaming in through the window. Sometime before he left, Stephan had placed a pillow under my head and a blanket over me. I must have really been out to not feel or remember him doing that.

  “Natasha? I hoped you were awake. I brought you breakfast. Ham, eggs, and chocolate chip muffins.” John smiled at me, his smile growing broader as my stomach growled with anticipation. I sniffed the air, searching for his unique scent underneath all the other delicious smells. I smiled when I found it.

  “You know my weakness already: chocolate chip muffins. Where’s Stephan?” I sat up, stretching the kinks from my back and reaching for the basket of food he held. He was quickly becoming one of my favorite people. Every time I saw him, he had food.

  “He arrived at the club a few hours ago with instructions to help you with anything you may need. I arranged for a storage container to be brought in, as well as a large dumpster. They should arrive with the construction crew later this morning. Shall we get started with boxing things up?” I nodded, digging into the breakfast he’d brought.

  “Weren’t you supposed to help Marcy this week?” I was genuinely curious about this mysterious woman I’d heard mentioned but had yet to meet. John blushed.

  “She doesn’t really need any help with anything. Stephan said I could choose between the two, and this sounded like more fun.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes. I knew there was more to it, but he wasn’t ready to share, and I wasn’t about to pry. I just smiled, groaning as I bit into some ham. It was still warm. I changed the subject to something less personal.

  “Do you know anything about auras? I meant to ask Stephan about it last night but got distracted.” That seemed to happen more than I cared to admit. I still had so much to learn, but every time we started training, I lost track of everything but the joy and freedom of being an animal. I was so exhausted by the end of each night that I collapsed in the car on the way back to the club, questions forgotten. I also hadn’t Dream-Walked since my first night here and was starting to think that was part of Stephan’s plan. By the end of our training sessions, I was always too tired to concentrate on anything but his agenda. He wanted me to be as comfortable with changing as I was being human. I had to put my foot down and make him teach me about things other than changing. I was comfortable with it already. I enjoyed it even, but there was too much about being an Atlantean that I was ignorant about.

  “I don’t know much, I’m afraid. I know that your aura’s pull is overwhelming to most humans. It’s my understanding that it’s stronger with the opposite sex, sort of a way to help increase procreation or help find your next meal, but I’m not sure exactly how it works. I know you can tone it down, but I have no idea how you manage that. Stephan doesn’t give us the same training that he does with new vamps. Come to think of it, Stephan’s never trained a new vamp before. Victoria was the closest to a trainee that he’s ever had, but she was around before I was born. We, his servants, just have to know the basics so that we can assist you with your daily needs.” He shrugged apologetically.

  “I tried to tone it do
wn yesterday, but it was really draining. That was part of the reason I was so irritated with your brother. I’d hoped there was a secret to it and that I was doing something wrong. I guess I’ll have to remember to ask Stephan later. You’re going to have to talk to everyone today while I hide.” I grinned at him. “Either that, or you better have a large supply of hams available.”

  He laughed with me. Together, we started boxing up the library. I wanted to save all the books. Some were so old, they were handwritten originals. I had no idea how they were still in such good condition. When the guys dropped off the containers, John talked to them while I started loading boxes. It was nice to be super strong for once.

  We went through every room in the house, methodically tossing and keeping various items. All the curtains were trashed, along with the mattresses, chamber pots, and furniture that’d been destroyed from melted wax or years of neglect. We kept the paintings. We were able to salvage most of the furniture and the little knickknacks scattered about the house. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep them, but the pained look on John’s face when he saw them convinced me that Stephan needed them.

  While we cleaned out the house, the builders came and started tearing everything apart. They started in the foyer and continued around the house, following us as we emptied rooms. By dinner, the entire first floor looked less like a house and more like Swiss cheese. The windows were gone, the inside walls were stripped open, and the ceilings were gutted.

  The storage container was packed, and the dumpster was filled. We’d have to order another one before the week was out. I was bushed with the amount of work we’d done, as well as the effort it took me to contain my aura during the few times I had to interact with the crew. I collapsed on the front lawn, sweating from the exertion of the day. John lay a few feet from me, panting.

  “Oh, by the gods, kill me! I should’ve known better than to try and keep up with you.” He groaned, smiling over at me. I grinned back.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I’m impressed.” As we were laughing, Stephan arrived with pizza. John and I could’ve kissed him. We devoured the pies, filling our bellies until they ached as badly as the rest of us. Stephan laughed at us, teasing us for acting like a bunch of frat boys before driving us back to the club to pass out.

  The rest of the week was spent in a similar fashion. John and I would get up, go shopping, help with the renovations when we could, clean the house as best we could, and work on the gardens. Each evening, Stephan greeted us with a meal fit for a house full of people, and we’d talk about how things were going both in the club and a bit about the house. I always insisted on eating outside. I wanted to surprise Stephan when it was finished. It was easygoing, relaxing, and brought peaceful hope to my weary spirit. For the first time since changing, I could see a future for myself, a future that had me doing more than just waiting for Raif. I had hope.

  By the end of the first week, the electrical and plumbing were all set, the windows were replaced, and I had the beginnings of a garage. I couldn’t believe how quickly everything was going. I also started to stay at the house alone for longer periods. Stephan had a harder time adjusting to this than I did, something I found very strange and endearing.

  The workers had left for the day, and I sent John home early so I could enjoy the peaceful tranquility of silence. I’d never realized before how loud construction workers really were until they left. Not only was there the banging and grinding of tools and equipment, but they also shouted at each other and blared music. I looked forward to the part of the day when I could enjoy the serenity of my home, alone.

  I still couldn’t believe this was mine. I walked around the perimeter, gauging how much work still needed to be done, and smiled. It was coming along beautifully, and I knew Stephan would be pleased at what I’d decided to do. I wanted everything to stay as it was, just upgraded. I had to rearrange some of the six bedrooms to create bathrooms, add indoor plumbing, and a septic system. I added electrical, upgraded the windows, and still had to repaint everything, but it was starting to look habitable.

  I stopped abruptly as I walked back to the gardens. The birds were silent, their songs no longer a soothing chatter in the woods. I scented the air, curious about the disturbance. The birds had been quiet one other time, and that was when I’d inherited the house. The wildlife had gotten accustomed to Stephan and I roaming around the forest, even maintaining their nightly activities as we played. They were only quiet for newcomers. If you paid attention, the birds were better watchdogs than actual dogs.

  I bristled in annoyance and a little fear. Stephan would be here soon, and I assumed he’d forgotten to tell me he was expecting company again. It would just be another in the long list of things he’d forgotten to tell me lately. I sighed, inhaling the unfamiliar scents as I did. Three Atlanteans were in my driveway.

  I tried to relax, to keep my need to flee at bay. Stephan assured me this place was safe. No one that meant me harm knew this house existed. They had to be his friends and probably just wanted to meet me before anyone else, like Sonja.

  I was apparently a big deal in the Atlantean community, although I was still having trouble accepting it. I knew I was instrumental in bringing their homeland back from the depths of the ocean where it had been hidden for over eleven thousand years, but I just didn’t know what the big deal was. I couldn’t figure out why some, like Stephan, were amazed by me, while others wanted me eliminated, like Stuart had. The wheels of change had already been set in motion. There wasn’t anything else to do but wait. I’d already accomplished everything that needed to be done according to their stupid, ancient prophecy, but Stephan insisted that I still had to be careful around strangers.

  I turned around, stuffing my apprehension down so I could meet the three Atlanteans properly. Stupidly, I wished I’d taken John up on his offer to stay with me. There wasn’t anything a human could do against an Atlantean, but his company would’ve been nice.

  I walked around to the front of the house just as they were starting up the steps. I relaxed immediately when I saw the woman. It was stupid and sexist of me, but I took comfort in her presence. She turned at my approach, smiling in greeting. She was stunning. Easily six feet, five inches. Her blond hair was braided in pigtails, and she had legs that went on forever. She had on low-slung jeans that looked expensive, a baby doll tee that was cut to show her abs, and sandals that were so gaudy I knew they cost more than all the shoes I owned.

  The two men with her stayed a step behind as to remain unobtrusive but still protective of the woman. They wore only low-slung jeans that accented their toned bodies. Both were taller than the woman and almost matched Raif’’s bulk. They looked like twins with their matching shaved heads, wraparound sunglasses, and mirror image tattoos.

  I felt like a complete country bumpkin with my hair in a messy ponytail, grubby shirt, and overalls. I smiled back at her, hoping I didn’t have dirt on my face and silently cursing them all for arriving unannounced. They stopped in unison about six feet from me.

  “You must be Natasha. Well, don’t that just beat all? You’re pint-sized! I’m Marie, and I just wanna say, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She had the perfect southern drawl, complete with dimples and bubbly affect. I relaxed even further.

  “Nice to meet you, Marie.” I smiled up at her.

  “These are my brothers, Tommy and Ben. We heard you were in town and just had to see what the fuss was about.” Tommy and Ben each nodded in turn at their introduction. I nodded back to be polite. As friendly as they were, I still didn’t feel comfortable having them here while I was alone.

  “Stephan should be here soon. I’d invite you in, but everything is still torn apart.”

  “I guess we’d better hurry, then. We wouldn’t want to hurt Stephan now, would we boys?” She raised her hands, and my feet sank in the dirt. Her brothers walked toward me, Tommy with a look of resignation, Ben with a gleeful smile. I panicked and tried to change. As I started to feel the tr
ickle of transformation, a large fist came into my view. Everything went dark.

  I came to in the back of a car. My hands were tied in front of me, and I was sandwiched between the two men.

  “I wouldn’t advise a repeat of your little stunt back there. Ben has no problem with knocking you unconscious again.” Marie’s voice was harsh. She was in the driver’s seat, winding through the dark streets like a bat out of hell. The entire right side of my face was throbbing with the slow beat of my heart.

  “Where are you taking me?” My voice was stronger than I felt.

  “To Nicholas.” It was all she’d say for the remainder of the ride. I tried to pay attention to each turn we made so I could find my way back. Trouble was, I didn’t know how long I’d been out, and I could barely focus past the pain and dizziness in my head.

  All I could discern from brief glances out the tinted windows were dark forms of trees. We were still surrounded by the forest, and therefore still had to be in the Everglades. That was no help, the glades covered over eight hundred miles.

  The sharp turns Marie was making in her small car were starting to make me nauseous. My head throbbed behind my eyes, adding to the nauseated feel. I had a nagging suspicion that had I been anything other than Atlantean, the blow I’d received would have killed me. Spots of light danced in my vision, and I thought I was on the verge of passing out again. My stomach lurched, and I closed my eyes for a second to clear my vision.

  When I opened them, the spots remained. I groaned. I blinked my eyes rapidly, hoping that would clear the lights and I wouldn’t get sick. They remained. It took me a minute to focus and realize that the spots weren’t in my head; they were getting brighter. The trees parted, revealing a massive old plantation, lit to be a beacon for the blind.